Truss’s leadership defence sparks backlash from Tories

Liz Truss and her allies were accused of living in a “fantasy” as her defence of her disastrous six-week reign at No 10 sparked a furious backlash from senior Tories.

- ADAM FORREST

The former prime minister was accused of “sour grapes” after she offered no apology for the economic turmoil of the autumn in a 4,000-word article that blamed the disruption on the left-wing economic establishment” and resistance to tax cuts from within her own party.

Supporters of the current prime minister accused Ms Truss of trying to destabilise Rishi Sunak’s government, warning that Ms Truss and her allies were deluded if they thought she could launch a successful bid to lead the Tory party once again.

Sir Craig Oliver, a former No 10 communications chief, warned the party that listening to Ms Truss would lead to cataclysmic defeat” at the next general election. Writing for The Independent, Sir Craig, who served as a senior aide in David Cameron’s government, claimed that both Ms Truss and Boris Johnson were trying to grab the wheel” from Mr Sunak describing Ms Truss’s lengthy article defending her unfunded tax cuts as nonsense”.

“One former prime minister trying to grab the wheel from Rishi Sunak would be unfortunate; the problem is there are two,” he said, adding: Two former prime ministers doing everything in their power to rock the boat is not a recipe for victory. It points to a potential cataclysmic defeat.”